Up behind the parking lot at Oak Hill Café, a sea container painted with mountain silhouettes faces a small covered patio scattered with round tables, seating 24. The 7,500-pound container, which Executive Chef David Porras (and friends) had to move via crane from the restaurant’s driveway where it was dropped off, now functions as a walk-up window serving guests at The Farmers Tap, Oak Hill’s new alfresco biergarten.
Enjoying a view of the restaurant’s small farm, Farmers Tap augments its covered seating with picnic tables on the lawn and three corrugated-metal fire pits with cut logs for seats. Here, you can order six beers on tap (several from South Carolina) plus more canned brews and a selection of wine, as well as simple fare for noshing (think: cheese and charcuterie, or hummus and veggies).
COVID was the impetus for the new biergarten. David and co-owner Lori Nelsen took advantage of CARES funds to build the new outdoor space. “We wanted to create a destination to give us more options for private events and help fund the farm,” David says, noting that 30 percent of the proceeds from The Farmers Tap will go to support the restaurant’s one-acre farm.
David and Lori plan to build a small stage next to the patio this summer for hosting live music, but for now birds provide a more serene soundtrack at the Farmers Tap, making it the perfect place to gather with friends, delight in nature, and unwind after work.
The Farmers Tap, 2510 Poinsett Hwy, Greenville. (864) 631-1397, oakhillcafe.com. Open Thurs–Sat, 4–8pm.
